Red, White and Black
by Madame-Monocles
Summary: The full story of Red Harrington, how she became who she is, her old encounters with Butch and her new ones with Tonto. She tries to get out of the small Texas town she has been stuck in for nearly 20 years as she trains new whores, becomes closer with Tonto and farther from the awful past she is leaving behind. This is a multi-chapter fic.
1. Red's Hell On Wheels

She wraps her pepper-red hair into 2 breads before it had a chance to strangle her in the hot Texas heat. It's the first thing she does when she wakes, followed by a quick check to make sure that her white ivory leg is in working order. Sometimes she'd wake up with the most awful cramps in her thigh, before flesh turned into ivory, where her nerves were still alive and could sometimes feel the sawing of a searing hot blade.

It should have been nothing but a memory now but in all actuality, Red knows she will never get past the trauma of not only having her leg taken from her, but also the man who took it.

"Red" The man's loud voice carried down the hall before he knocked on her door "We have a few gentlemen waiting to see you."

"They are rising earlier and earlier" She sighed before hearing his footsteps descend back down the creaky hall. By the time she walked down to her desk she could see men lined up on the first floor. At this early hour only one of her female workers were out, Amy, formally known as 'Luna' is swinging on the moon shaped hammock attached to the ceiling. She waves the line of men up to her desk from her balcony overlook, and as they climb the stairs eagerly she sits and pulls out her many lists of clients, workers, and financial papers.

The first man she has seen every day for the past two weeks down on the first floor, but he has never come up to her to book a room. Red see's this a lot, some men need to test the territory and get a good feel of the place and women before taking one to a room, especially when they are married, which this man is. Red rolls her eyes as she takes his name, memories of him walking hand in hand with his wife and son only yesterday.

"I want that one."

The man points his meaty finger up to the moon hammock across from Red's desk, dangling high above bar stools and tables on the first floor. "Too bad" Red says, looking the man in the eyes sternly through her crooked glasses "She's on break."

"I've had my eye on that little lady for a week, shes the one I want." Before Red can come back with her usual 'if you don't like it get the hell out' response (usually followed by a threat with her knife, Luna dangled her legs down from the hammock and calls over "Oh hey Brian". The man's name is not Brian, but he doesn't seem to mind. "Red, I can take him Ma'am! If that's alright".

She doesnt want to use Luna again, she used her twice the night before and doesn't want to damage what is essentially her property. Luna pulls herself to the balcony from the draw string on the ceiling, and hops of the moon before sexily strutting (just the way Red taught her) over to the big meaty man, and pulling him past red and to one of the many open rooms after he slams the money needed down on reds desk and signs the parchment.

For the next three men, who were all men who work at the "Hell On Wheels" circus outside her brothel and wanted to de-stress before their work day began, Red had to find three of her workers, scattered in different bedrooms. Being woken up by Red is never a pleasant experience for the girls, who know she hates getting up and walking if she doesn't have to.

The three girls who are unfortunate enough to be found by Red first walk to their assigned room with their assigned men, soaking wet from the buckets of water Red tossed onto them.

As the morning progresses her women begin to wake up and come alive. A boy Red hired to play music on the first floor came in in the early afternoon to get all the girls dancing. One of Red's rules of the house for her workers is not drinking until the sun goes down, and even then keep your wits. Drunk men make good business but drunk women ruin it.

Red sits at her desk and fills out her paper work and schedules, thinking the business wont pick up until nightfall. The first floor is fairly full but only with drinkers and dancing and no rooms are being used. Taking another glance over her balcony to make sure nothing was getting out of hand, Red spots a young copper headed girl being escorted up to her by the guard. This can only mean one thing.

"Red" Dan started, his hand on the small girl's shoulders "We have a ..."

Red sizes up the girl "Yeah, leave her with me."

As soon as the man leaves the two alone, Red wipes the nervous smile right off the young ladies face "No. You wont find work here. Try outside, that spaz of a magician came in here looking for a little show girl for his act."

"No… no, but…" the girl stuttered when Red went back to her writing "No I want to work here. I want to be one of Red's ladies! My sister use to work for you!"

Catching Red's attention now, she looks up and realizes how familiar the girl looks. "Oh… Sandy, well, that's what we called her at least. What does that have to do with anything?"

"Well, she told me you really liked her. That you treat your girls like family."

"Well you should see the way I treat my family" Red cut in, leaning back in her chair.

"Right, just. I don't see why you wont let me work here, I know im not bad looking… Im smart."

"And why would a smart girl like you want to work here?" Red asks with real concern "Just like your sister… And just like her I don't think you know what you're getting into."

"Lay on my back and get paid for it? Sounds like a good deal to me, Ma'am."

A wide grin spreads across Red's face and a sound slightly resembling a purring cat and a giggle escapes from her throat. "Lets go into my room and talk."

"Okay tell me what I don't want to hear. Lets get all the bad things out of the way so I can see if I want to deal with you." Red pulls the girl into her room by the hand and warns her after closing the door "by the way you don't touch me without permission, I touch you as I please." The smaller girl nods in agreement and keeps her eyes on Red, who pours herself and her guest a small glass of whisky.

"Uhm… is everything okay out there while you are… in here?" She asks nervously as Red hands her the glass.

"That brings me to point two. You worry about you and I'll worry about everyone else. They are my business and not yours. Have you told me your name yet?" Red sits on her plushy couch, seting her drink on the oak table.

The young girl was unsure of weather or not she should stand or sit so she simply stays still "I thought you are suppose to name me?"

"Well" Red grins "Yes, but I want to know the name you where born with."

"Mary."

"Oh that certainly wont do. I'll think a'somethin. Sit with me. Drink. You _do_ drink?"

"Yes, of course." She sips her whisky innocently and coughs a bit.

"Oh Jesus. Don't do that in front of my costumers, it's a turn off. The whole innocent thing sells well but only to a certain extent. Now … Im afraid to ask this. Have you ever been with a man?" When the small girl only blushes, red shakes her head and tisks "maybe Mary is a suitable name for you."

"Well is it so bad? I know you train your girls before using them! Train me like you would any women. Plus men would probably pay more to be my first."

"It isn't that simple. I train, But you have nothing to base knowledge on. I cant perfect a skill that you don't have. You're expecting me to teach you to win a rodeo when you've never even ridden."

"So? You cant?"

After a long drink from her glass and a deep sigh, Red finally leans back and puts her hand on the girl's shoulder "Mary. I will do this, a girl like you can bring in good business. But you have to understand some things first."

When Mary nods her head, Red begins to explain the rules and procedures of her 'home'.

"You go by the name I give you. You never touch me without permission. I can touch you whenever I want. You do whatever I tell you the first time I tell you. You only sleep with the men I tell you to, except on Sundays or Wendsdays, one or the other will be your free day, this changes every week. While on the floor, stay where I can see you and do not leave my sight during work hours. I can see most of the first floor from where I sit on the balcony just don't walk into a corner and don't let someone pull you there. Hopefully you already realize we cant have you pregnant, so follow the pull out method. You get pregnant you get out. You always eat during the hours set aside for eating, If I want you to diet I'll tell you, but that's not common here. Trust me my girls get their exercise. You don't get drunk _ever_. You may act drunk when you see fit, eventually you'll be able to use your judgment for that. I don't care where you sleep as long as its in a bedroom, don't pass out on the first floor. You clean the sheets in one room every evening, Ill assign you a room number once I check my charts. I have bedroom props for you to use upon the man's request, ask me for them so I can keep track of who has what. Some men like it rough but don't let them cut your skin where your dress exposes it. Keep things like that restricted to stomach and thighs. Its in your best interest to stay in control of every situation. Wake up early. From my station here I can hear you if you yell from any of the bedrooms. I have a new safety word each week, you scream it and ill come in and fix things. But don't you scream it unless you mean it because someone will get very hurt. Most importantly, don't make me mad. Do you understand?"

Thinking the job is her's Mary has a huge smile on her face as she nods happily "Yes, Red, ma'am."

"You're going to stay here with me for two weeks and at the end of those weeks Ill start using you if I still like you, Mary. First things first, Get some ink and dye your hair as dark as night. Eye brows too. Im the only red head here, and its going to stay that way."

Of course, Mary listens to Red and does what she says. Just like everyone who doesn't want to meet her hidden weapon. Red shows Mary her prosthetic leg that conceals a gun, but warns her not to touch it.

That night Mary sleeps in a bedroom as the ones on each side of her are being used for paying costumers, and the groans moans and hollers that seep through the thin walls keep her from sleeping. Red notices this the next day and warns her that she better get use to the noises and sleep through them because without sleep she is useless. In the middle of telling her off, Red stops mid sentence to look over the balcony. Mary is shocked to see a Cherokee Indian in shocking white paint with a bird on his head, and even more shocked at Red's reaction.

"Is… is he allowed here?" Mary stutters in fear.

Red fixes her with a cold hard stare "Just go fix your hair like I told you. Don't come back here until its taken care of. And go get Luna and tell her to help you find a proper dress. Go." Mary runs down the stares and presses herself hard against the wall as she passes the Indian, who only stares up at Red, the dead bird upon his head staring blankly with him.

The man remains perfectly still as the men and women on the first floor rush past Him, some cowering away and some winking at him, one of Red's workers even dare to let her fingers graze his chest as she walks past. Red beckons him up the stairs, and Tonto meets her on the balcony.

"Well?" red asks when Tonto remains silent "What did you come back here for?"

"Do you still have the cat?"

"The… No, He's always run away. Why don't you like that thing… you are really picky for someone with a dead bird on his head." Red says, cocking her head and pointing just above his.

"Bird not dead. I wanted to thank you for… helping me those weeks ago. Without your distraction we wouldn't have been able to run the train, and Butch with it, into the depths."

Upon hearing his name, Red turns away, not wanting Tonto to see her teary eyed reaction. "I knew it had to be done." And she really means those words more then anything, she has wanted to see Butch dead for years now. "Come on" She continues as she walks towards her bedroom.

Tonto looks over the balcony and stutters "B…but…."

"Just leave it, business is slow until night."

When they enter her room Tonto once again picks around curiously, ripping a golden trinket off of a wall hanging and replacing it with a piece of corn, making Red laugh harshly. "You keep stealing my things Im not going to let you in here anymore, uh, by the way, I never got your name…."

Red had gotten his name, in fact. From a costumer of hers who was complaining about that "lone ranger who teamed up with the Cherokee". Red rarely had any sort of dialog with her costumers, but she wanted to know this mans name.

"Tonto" He says, finally finished picking through reds things he sniffs the pillows on the back of the couch before sitting. She joins him on the couch, plopping down close to him and setting a drink in front of him. "Red is what you go by? That can not be your real name. What did your father name you?"

"Who says it was my father?" Her lips speak against the edge of her glass in a seductive manner that comes natural to her now "My mum named me. And that doesn't matter now. Im a different person now."

Red leans forward to set her drink down, and by the time she sits back up a white painted face is quickly pressed against hers, lips puckered and eyes closed. As a reflex, she brings her hand back and slaps Tonto hard across the face. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" She tries to hide the disappointment in her voice and mask it with anger. She wants him to think she's doing her job rather then hurt that she could be foolish enough to think this man, one not of this awful town, would be different.

His face bows in embarrassment and his words come out in a low mumble "I… you…" thinking it would help he raises his head quickly to glance up at her. This doesn't help however, seeing her red face and angry eyes makes him feel even worse. "Sorry."

"I have to get back to my desk. And you need to get the hell out of here." Red struggles to stand up but when Tonto tries to help she glares at him, reminding him of the 'don't touch' rule. With that final warning glance Tonto practically runs from her brothel, realizing he didn't accomplish thanking her at all but probably made her hate him as much as the rest of the town.


	2. Tonto Wants A Ride

The night came too quickly and all of Red's workers have to deal with her snappy attitude and cutting remarks. Her punishments for girls who go over their allotted time with the costumer are unusually cruel, and she makes half of her workers clean the toilets rather then earning money in the beds. She wishes that someone would give her an excuse to fire her gun but sadly this is the one night where everything is calm.

She cant figure out what she is mad about. The fact that he tried to kiss her or the fact that he probably wont come back again. It's not like she can go looking for him. Her thigh begins to cramp up again, sending flash backs down the dark corridors of her brain.

_**Darkness surrounded her then, and the only thing she felt was a warm hand on her knee and a thin wire above it, bound so tightly around her thigh she knew things could only get worse. "you take something from me, I take something from you" His dark voice, once so handsome and now so terrifying, cut through the darkness before she heard the clink of a knife leaving its leather holder**_

When night comes the little sleep she has is plagued with nightmares and memories. Memories of her parents, now dead and gone as the man who killed them. Memories of her dancing career, also dead and gone. The beautiful soft music she use to dance to replaced by the awful grunts of sweaty men.

She broke her own rule that morning by skipping breakfast. When the nightmares came back the only thing she can keep down is coffee, strong and black. Around mid day one of the towns lawmen came, and sense he is such a high paying costumers he gets the highest price woman, that being Red herself.

In bed its easy for her to channel her anger and turn it into passion and energy. This is her new dance, and this is her new talent. The man beneath her is very broad shouldered and fit, and Red learns quickly (as she always does) that he doesn't like his face touched, and doesn't like being bitten. Unfortunately for Red, he does like being talked to.

"You like how I feel" He asks huskily as she picks up her pace on top of him. "Mmmm yes" She lets her voice drop to a deep whisper, her sexy voice taking over "It feels so good."

It isn't a lie really, It does feel good. Not _so_ good, but good. She likes watching a man practically melt beneath her, capturing his full attention just like she use to capture the attention of the audience as she danced on stage. Now, as she danced atop him she speeds up to follow the tempo of his breathing until it all ends; one final thrust matching one final grunt.

Once the act is done she remains quiet, as she always does unless the man choses to talk. "So. Red? I um… do think I will be … revisiting your establishment. That leg is impressive." Its always the leg they comment on, always the one inanimate part of her body that has no feeling. What symbolizes tragedy to her is sexy to the men she is with. "Good. Me and my ladies will be waiting for you." Its her standard response, and as she says it she is bold enough to pull his pants up for him and close his vest trying to hurry him out the door and back onto the dangerous dusty streets where (in her opinion) he belongs.

The new and improve Mary returns that night, just in time for the rush to begin. Her hair is now pitch black, making here eyes and pale skin stand out. Her breasts practically spill out the top of her corseted dress, and it takes her a while to get use to the men staring at her.

"Now this is what im going to do" Red says to her, leaning on the railing of her balcony "You and Luna are going to take on one costumer together. The men love it but so do I, sense it means I get to charge them double. But listen, you only participate lightly. I want you to observe and watch Luna work, she is our best girl and she's been here the longest and knows how to handle things. Now tell me what I want you to do" Red puts her hand on Mary's shoulder and waits for her to respond.

"Share the bed with Luna and the costumer. Participate lightly and learn." She gulps when she finally gets the sentence out.

"Very good. Now you find Luna and wait in room 3, ill send someone in. Just do whatever she tells you." With that last command Mary nervously walks down the hall. Red is only relieved that she listened so well, especially sense she feels so moody and angry today. Her mid-day costumer barley helped release her anger and she pities the first costumer or worker to make her angry today.

The first man who comes up to her desk is just the one she needs. Older, about 50 from the look of him, and they tend to be gentler. He doesn't look hairy or overly dirty but sweat is already forming on his balding head, and Red figures its his first time here. _Great_ she thinks _a first timer with a first timer_ but at least she has her most experienced worker in the room as well. She sends the man off to room 3 with a wink and hopes that the new girl doesn't freak out once the man undresses. She had to deal with that situation last year, and its never fun to fire a worker in front of a naked costumer.

9 more men stumble up the stairs and to her desk, every single one of them drunk. She assigns them to different women, the more drunk the man is the more experienced women she chooses. "Sorry sir" She says to the tenth man "All out of rooms, come back in half an hour.

"No'm not comin back jus lemme share." His horrid breath is almost enough to make Red flinch.

"No. You will not share you will wait another half hour. Go sit downstairs and dance with one of the girls on the floor." The man doesn't turn to leave, however, and he only stumbles so close to her desk that both of his palms lay flat on its edge. Without breaking eye contact Red pulls the hand gun out from the place she always keeps it under her desk and points it straight between his eyes.

Though drunk, the man knows a gun barrel when he sees's one pointed at his face. Red calls out from her balcony for Dan, the door man, her voice overpowering the music and cheer from the first floor. Dan is up the stairs in a split second, dragging the drunk and shaking scared man away from Red's desk and away from the brothel.

"Impressive" the first voice to break the silence of the place calls out at Red. She looks down to find Tonto, smiling hugely up at her as if he had just seen the best show of his life. "Hey! You! Get out o-" Dan starts, angry that a Cherokee made his way past him while he was distracted.

"No, leave him Dan. It's fine. Tonto, come up." She tries to keep her voice natural and cant even decide herself what she is feeling, and why she would ever be so happy to see this man or any man. As he makes his way upstairs Red finds her "Come back later" sign and sets it on her desk on top of all her paper work.

"All the rooms are booked anyway so I can take a break. Well, besides my room. Come on I need a drink….again.." Tonto doesn't say a word, only follows her into her room, this time sitting on the couch immediately.

"What's with the necklace?" Red sits close beside him on the couch with a bottle of whisky. A flashy red necklace dangles around tonto's neck, catching Red's eye.

"For good luck" Tonto says, pointing at the bottle. Red laughs and hands it over to him, letting him take a big gulp. "But I came to ask you something." Red nods for him to continue "Do you like to ride?"

Red struggles not to spit out what she just drank and forces herself to swallow before putting the cork in the bottle of whiskey and slamming it onto the table. "That's a good one, Tonto, where did you hear that? Downstairs? You really shouldn't hang around here its making you into something you aren't!" Red's furry isn't as violent as the night Tonto tried to kiss her, but her voice is obviously bitter and shaky.

"Stop. It's you who has been here to long. I mean riding… on horses. Do you know how?"

Red blushes in embracement and throws a braid over her shoulder to play with while she talks to try to calm down "Well. Why do you ask?"

"Im tired of falling off horses. No one will teach me."

"Not even that man in the mask?"

"He's too busy. He said I should ask you. He remembers you riding through town when you two where children…"

"Oh Jesus, he told you about me? Why are you even asking about me?"

"Around campfire things get boring… He said you use to dance a lot in that field between the town and our land. And I realized I have seen you before. It had to of been you." While Tonto says this he keeps glancing from her eyes to her hair, it obviously being something he remembers most. "You had the same hair then."

Red looks away from him now, realizing the infatuation he seemed to have with her must be with the old her. The one who danced beautifully and rode horses. "Yeah. That was me. That is not what I am now. I cant dance and I cant ride horses. If you haven't noticed im missing a leg." Tonto moves his head down a bit to try to force eye contact. This doesn't work, however, she simply turns away more.

"Why did Butch take your leg?" He has been curious ever sense he saw her beautiful man-made leg, and was finally brave enough to ask.

"He got very mad at me." She said simply, as if this would satify his curiosity. But Butch and what happened between them is something she has never spoken of.

"Mad enough to take a leg?"

"Mad enough to kill my family and my dreams. But to put it plainly, yes. He cut off my leg and he…."

"Ate it." Tonto finishes for her, knowing Butch had a habit of eating a body part of someone he was mad at.

"He ate it, yes." Red shakes her head so tears don't fall, the small snips of visuals playing through her head now like a horror film. "And I watched him as he-"

"_**BLUE"**_

Tonto figures the scream is coming from a rowdy bunch on the first floor "Watched?"

"Shhhh" Red scolds him, pushing her hand to his lips and facing her door.

"_**BLUE"**_

Hearing the scream clearly this time, Red stands faster then Tonto though it possible and limps quickly toward the door, pulling a knife from a holster on her thigh as she walks.

"BLUE" she hears echoed from room three one more time before throwing open the door to see Luna laying on her back, her back arched and feet kicking the air, her face becoming pale. The older man is on top of her, completely naked with his large hands wrapped around luna's throat. Mary sits beside him with her corset untied and hanging lose, punching his side with her tiny fists.

Reds throws her knife before the man has a chance to even relize she has eneterd the room and with a high pitched yelp he lets go of Luna's throat and falls back against the wall by the bed, crushing Mary. "Mary, Out!" Red shouts over Luna's gasps and coughs. Mary runs out of the room holding her dress together and Red is beside the man in a second, twisting the knife sticking out of his side making him scream. When he swats at her his hand connects with her face and in anger she pulls out the knife only to stick it into him again, only this time with more force and into his stomach then again just above that.

Dan stands at the door quietly watching Red stab the man until she finally calms down and Luna stops coughing. "Get this man out of here. Don't bandage him just throw him out." Her voice is scarily calm as she commands Dan, and of course he does exactly as she tells him. Red crawls over to Luna's shaking body and begins to pat her back, trying to calm her down.

"Margret" Tonto says as things quiet down, making Red's head snap back towards him. "That's your name, isn't it?"


	3. Sins of the Past

Red's eyes narrow at him, and Tonto can't tell if she is angry or simply surprised. "You…" The word is spoken with the frustration and anger pent up from the 'accident', but when Tonto reacts by jumping she takes a deep breath to calm herself, not wanting to scold him for a situation that isn't his fault. "You just wait in my room. Let me take care of this." It isn't until Tonto walks away she realizes he may steal everything she has.

"Sorry." Luna's voice is tired and raspy, her eyes wide open in shock.

"You're gonna tell me what happened. But first lets get you some water."

Red pulls the women up to her feet, only to sit her down on the rumpled sheets of the mattress. As it turns out Mary didn't run far from the room, but was peaking in from the door frame. Red asks her to get them some water, which she makes Luna drink.

"You stay here, Relax. Mary stay with her." Before attending to the costumers lined up at her desk Red finds a lose fitting non-corseted dress to cover Luna with. Walking up and down the hall one last time to check how many rooms are available, she plops back onto her chair and assigns new men to the working women and the empty rooms.

When all the papers are signed and money exchanged and locked away safe Red's line finally disappears, all men having walked hand in hand into a room with their lovely lady of the night. Checking back on Luna she is relieved to see her wild eyes have calmed. There are angry red marks around Luna's neck, that Red hopes wont bruise. "Okay. Mary. Tell me what happened." She figures its only fair to pick on the healthier one, especially sense she has never seen Luna look more tired in her life.

"Well… It all happened so fast" Mary stands from the bed now, letting the cold rag she was pressing against Luna's neck fall to the ground as she began to pace the floor in front of the two seated women. "Everything seemed fine… they were kissing, then he kissed me, then _she_ kissed me" She pauses to point at Luna accusingly, and Red silently hopes that Mary isn't surprised that would happen. "And that… man… sat on the bed and told me to kiss his neck from behind while he watches Luna undress, I assumed this is all normal for you guys. Then when Luna's cloths were off she got on the bed and I couldn't really see what they were doing anymore, but I did see him pull away from her aggressively and then… he just started calling her a whore and choking her! That's when I called you."

The same thing happened last year, and Red hoped then that she if handled the situation with enough severity then it wouldn't happen again. Apparently she was wrong. "Not everyone approves of this profession. Some really religious people pass through here… I guess this was a good lesson for you to learn anyway." After making sure the two girls are okay (Luna on bed rest while Mary is to return to the first floor and 'flirt and dance) Red walks back to her bedroom, all the while trying to come up with a solid prevention plan to filter out the people who want to kill her ladies and the ones who want to love them.

She explains to Tonto, who is seated with crossed legs on her wooden table, the situation on her hands and how it is all just a reassurance of last years events.

"You should be out there then. To protect the women."

"You let me worry about my girls. There wont be any more tonight. That man is going to go back to whatever religious group he is apart of, tell them everything they need to know so they can send more able bodied men in. He is going to tell them where I keep my knife, how many rooms I have, that I cant walk well…." As Red speaks she stares off into the distance, holding a full glass of whisky but not drinking from it.

"How many of your women died?" Tonto asks, needing to know the servarity of the situation.

"Two. One being Mary's sister, in fact." When Tonto's face remained blank she explained "That girl in the room… the one dressed? Her sister. Sandy"

"What happens next? Tomorrow? What will you do?" Tonto stands to approach Red, completely ready to offer his help.

"Tomorrow." Now she takes a long drink "I find a few big men from town, maybe a couple of rangers too but I don't want to involve the law they pester me. I have made a few man friends though, I'm a … friendly lady. Anyway I suppose It will be easy enough to get them to come in here, stay at the bar, blend in until someone says the safe word, which I'll have to change of course. Im sure nothing will happen until tomorrow night. And there will be more then one. Ill inform my ladies tonight, and find the men tomorrow. I'll just stick with the ones I know of course. Tonto…." She turns now, to see that Tonto is much closer then he was when she turned to face the wall.

"I will help. Ill make a fire to ask the spirits to guide you. I'll-"

Red cuts him off by outing a finger to his warm lips "Or. Just stand with me tomorrow night by my desk. I don't need your protection, but you might intimidate the men who would do this kind of thing… seeing an Indian might make them think twice."

"I will do that. Me and the bird." He pauses to point to the bird on his head, making Red laugh despite the situation. "But we trade."

"Trade? What do you want?"

"Teach me how to ride a horse!" Upon saying that, he almost grabs her shoulders but lets his hands drop just in time, remembering her no touch rule.

"Fair enough. Tomorrow mid day… meet me in the corral. I still remember a thing or to…"

By the time Tonto leaves its so late that she barley has any costumers left. She see's the last three to rooms with three of the women, sending the rest to her room, telling them to wait for her. "Everyone out!" She yells from her balcony to the few people straggling behind. When they refuse to move she throws her leg up, her red boot landing on the railing "Im going to count to three." When everyone leaves her brothel in fear she smiles proudly, happy that her reputation is preceding her.

Some women are surprised by the nights attack, but most have worked for Red long enough to remember last years attack. "You must realize" Red warns them, trying to be gentle while showing them how bad the situation can be "This is a rare but dangerous thing. Remember the safe word. Act naturally, and most of all listen to me and trust me."

Having somehow made up with Tonto, Red finds it easy enough to eat the next morning. Her workers are another story however, being too nervous to keep anything down. "Dan!" She calls out to her guard "make sure they eat before leaving the table. I have a few things to attend to so keep the place closed until I return." As Red walk out she hears the girls whisper things like "Who is she our mother?" And she thinks to herself with a small smile how proud her mother would be of her own motherly instincts.

Finding men to help her is as easy as she thought it would be. Two rangers agree to help out of kindness, four men from the market agree to help if she would have a stand for their products in the bar of her brothel for two weeks, 4 more men say they will help if they get to touch her leg afterwards, and two more agree very reluctantly after being persuaded with free "one on one time" with Red.

After building this satisfying army of a dozen men Red tells them when to arrive and walks over to the town coral, silently begging her leg not to cramp up or cause her trouble today. Red cant help but smile broadly when she finally approaches the coral, seeing Tonto in an empty dusty round pen playing with a big harry dog.

"You're gonna wanna save your strength, Tonto" Red leans against the wooden fence and smiles at him even bigger when he jumps in fear.

"I named him bone. Because that is what he wants most." Tonto finally manages to pull the slobbery bone form the dogs mouth and tosses it an impressive distance, sending the dog running out of the pen.

"And what do you want most, Tonto?"

"I want to ride." Red hears a double meaning in his sentence once again, but tells herself its all in her mind and to let it go.

"First we're gonna have to get you a horse."

"I have chosen one. He is big and black and-"

"No… Sorry, I misspoke. I didn't mean we're, I meant I will pick you a horse. I already have one." Red leads the way to the stables and Tonto follows close behind, surprised once again at how fast she can move. "You have a horse?"

"My family. I don't know which of us it belonged to but we got her as a foal. She was a little runt. Still is, really. Anyway I use to ride her all the time but ever sense, well…. So its been a while sense she's been ridden so we may have to remind her of a few things. At least you're use to falling."

The horse Red leads him to is quite the disappointment for Tonto. Unlike the big black horse he had his eyes on earlier, this one is very thin with oddly long legs and a long neck. The color of his hide reminds Tonto of a rash, but Red calls it "strawberry roan" which sounds a lot less sickening and to Tonto a lot less accurate.

"Someone stretched out your horse." Tonto says, standing as far from the stall as possible. "She was made like this. She's built for speed and endurance. We use to race her but like I said, Its been a long time." Red pauses to stroke the horses long copper spotted nose, and for the first time Tonto notices the sadness in her eyes as she gazes upon the creature.

He takes one giant step forward while he has the courage to do so. Wanting more then anything for Red to be happy with him he tried to pet the horse but ends up awkwardly placing his hand on the her long neck and freezing like that, earning a strange look from Red. "Okay… So you ride bareback don't you? I use to love riding like that, good thing to. I don't have a saddle anymore." She takes the rope halter from the hook on the stall and hands it to Tonto "take her out to the pen. Ill get her bridle."

Very slowly and very carefully Tonto lifts the rope over the horses twitching ears and under her nose. "Her name is Heather, by the way" Red calls from down the stable isle before turning into room out of Tonto's sight.

Once Red finally convinces Tonto to mount Heather he needs two hay bails to step on to actually make it onto the horses back. "Gentle on her back… She isn't as young as she use to be." Red calls out from the ground as Heather and Tonto trot around her. "Oh don't pull back on h-" Before Red can even get the sentence out Heathers head yanks from side to side and her back legs kick out, sending Tonto falling to the hard ground. She cringes at his shaky body as he stands, his face lowered in attempt to hide his wounded pride.

Red, always being a very straightforward person, walks over to Tonto and lifts his chin so that their eyes meet. She had planned to scold him for pulling on her horses mouth but somehow being so close to his face left her speechless. She has never looked into his eyes from this distance, and she thinks they look unrealistically alive especially next to the crusty paint that surrounds them. "What?" Tonto asks, unfamiliar with whatever clue she might be sending him.

She only bakes away from him however, shaking her head for a reason Tonto couldn't figure out. "Try it again, at a trot. Don't pull on her mouth this time. Use your legs for balance not the reins. Don't make me take them away from you." Her voice is unnaturally snappy and for Tonto this only stacks onto the mystery that is Red.

Once their riding lesson is over and Heather is brushed and put away in the care of the stable hands Red agree's to have a drink with Tonto. He isn't use to being able to drink in the bar, but Red reminds him that the bar inside of her closed brothel shouldn't count as a first time experience and that she will show him the right way to do it soon.

"Can I ask questions?" Tonto says, sniffing the cup in front of him before taking a drink from it.

She thinks about it before answering, pulling one long braid in front of her to play with as a distraction. "Go ahead."

"What are your mother and fathers names?"

"I told you, my parents are dead."

"That means they are nameless?"

Red laughs at him, a sound Tonto is growing rather fond of "Yes they have names. Helena and Johnny."

"Are _Helayna_ and John from here?"

She rolls her eyes "Her name is _Helena_ not _Helayna_. And its Johnny. Even in death people don't say their name right…" One drink of her cold beer and she is able to continue "No my parents are from Europe. London. I was born there actually. We came here when I was nineteen. To avoid the war."

Tonto's chin drops and he almost spills his drink. Although he doesn't know what 'London' is or what she means by war, he is hugely impressed by this. "You are from over the sea?"

"I am, yeah. Hard to believe. My accent died down a lot."

"Tell me more about family."

"Why are you so interested?" She asks defensively before calming "actually, its nice to talk to someone about them, I guess. Sometimes its like I dreamed them up. Anyway… besides mum and dad, I had a little sister called Heidi."

Tonto adores the big smile that her red lips form, but so many more questions remain. "And you. Margret?" Red only nods and drinks from her mug "Why aren't you still?"

"Its common in my profession to change your birth name. But really, I had the name Red before I became a Madame. My sister always called me 'Ret' short for Margret, and that caught on and it eventually turned into 'Red'… the fine lady seated in front of you."

"Good."

"Good what?"

There is a very long list of Tonto's good opinions on Red, only one being her name. Margret fit her so well when she was a dancer, just like Red fits her so well now. Her hair, her blushing cheeks. "Im going to ask what you don't want to answer" Tonto says, ignoring her question "Why did Butch take your leg?"

Her eyes begin to water imidiatley, so she hides her face I nthe cup and takes a drink "No, I wont talk about that. Not here and not now." Although it is a rejection Tonto is hopeful from the words 'here and now', meaning some day she will share with him.

"Okay. But! Where did you first see him?"

Red lets out a deep breath and wipes her eyes, relaxing somewhat "Here in town. The year I moved here." She stops there but it practically forced to go on when Tonto only stares at her. "It was here. And I was dancing. I …. I never wanted to be here you see. I didn't belong. Ballerina's don't belong in this little Texas town. Rangers do, thieves do… and so do whores! I thought I was a smart girl, but I was only 19. This man, Butch, he came to me and he was dressed all fancy and he told me he loves how I twirl. He told me I don't belong here. That im too beautiful and too talented. He got me to dance for him a few times and well that's how it was for a few months. And then one day he came to my house and told me that he is rich. That he found a lot of silver somewhere…"

Tonto's eyes widen in anger, hating how deeply their stories connect, the parallels between them being ones of pain.

"… He promised" she stops, takes a breath, continues "He promised to take me away, that we would go away together and I'd dance anywhere I'd like. Up until then I thought the interest he had in me was platonic. Like I said, I was only 19. Silly. Naive. I didn't realize… that he was in love with me. Probably because I was in love with someone else."

Tonto doesn't realize how close he is leaning in until Red stops to take a drink. Sitting up straight in his chair again he asks "Who?"

"Dan Ried."

The story having more twists and turns then Tonto imagined, he shakes his head as if he can jumble information into place "Dan… Man in mask… his brother? Butch…"

"Yes, that man in a mask, you do know his name is John right? Anyway, yes his brother. He really was an amazing man. Not a normal man at all. Extraordinary …. And he's dead now because of me. Butch has killed him, after years of trying. Ate his heart as far as I heard. I haven't even spoken to Dan in god knows how many years. Do you know how hard it is to see the only man you've ever loved walking around with a family? And then there is me. Margret, Red, whatever. Without anyone, without any family at all."

Tonto wants so badly to touch her hand, but cant. "I know. All of my family, all of my people, all killed by the same man that took yours. He's dead. We killed him" as soon as Tonto finishes his last word he feels warmth engulf his hand, and looks over to see Red's palm laying flat against the top of his hand, practically holding it. "Keep going" Tonto whispers, wanting to hear her story but also wanting to hear her voice again.

"Look… I don't want to talk about this, okay? The truth of it is I tricked him. I used him for what he could do for me. _Me_, not my family or my fiancé, but me. And when that trick didn't work and Butch realized he was being tricked he got very very mad." Red voice is ezcalting, and Tonto is frozen still, unsure of what he did to cause the dark tent in her eyes or the deep red blush on her cheeks. She is simply angry at herself all over again for what happened all those years ago, she still feels the blood of her family and of Dan on her hands.

"Sorry! We stop talking now." Tonto says, turning his hand over to squeeze hers, only making her angrier. Red jumps up from the bar stool and begins to stomp towards the door until Tonto yells "Wait!"

She whips around furiously, braids flying "This fucking leg is enough of a reminder of what I did! I don't need you throwing it in my face too!" With those final words she storms out of the brothel with a racing mind and watery eyes, leaving behind a very confused Tonto.

Unwelcome memories sweep through her mind as she sits on the abandoned stage. Memories of her parents and sisters, but mostly their dead bodies. Memories of Butch and his silver and sweet talk, but mostly the look in his evil eyes as he took that first bite into her disembodied limb, sending her into a dark sleep only to awake and find her family stacked in a pile of their own blood.

"**I love you"**

She hits the side of her head now with a hard fist but the memory plays on anyway.

"**I love you too, Butch. When are we leaving here?"**

"**Oh don't you worry Margret, my little darlin', It'll be son enough me and you'll be riding over them desert hills, leavin it all behind us. We don't belong here darlin' and its up to us to fix destiny. You were born to dance, and I was born to watch you." His long hair blew in the wind and his sinister smile spread across his dusty face…**

One memory turns into another, every detail and emotion regretfully clear to her even now

"**I … It wasn't a lie… baby I-"**

"**Don't you fucking lie to me you little whore!"**

She can feel his hands in her hair now, the way he yanked her out of her chair

"**He's just a friend, Butch. I don't want any other man, only you baby." Her heart beats fast, and for the first time in all those months she forgets about the silver and the future he offers her and see's whats right in front of her face.**

"**A friend? Really? Do you fuck all of your friends? You two were going at it like rabitts!"**

"**It wasn't supposed to happen! I was so drunk! I…. he… It…" **

The sting of the hard slap he delivered across her face tingles her skin even now

"**Danny, that's his name right? I didn't get a good look at his face while you were BOUNCING ON TOP OG HIM"**

"**Stop! Please be mad at me but leave Danny-" another hard slap across her face, then another, and another until she falls to the ground. Silence fills the air, and when she has enough air in her lungs to speak, her voice is quivering "Baby, please lets… just… leave, lets go now"**

**Butch walks up to her tauntingly and menacingly, like a lion to its prey. Once his face is right in front of hers, so close Red hopes he might just kiss her he opens his mouth to speak lowly "Trust me Margret. You aint ever goin anywhere. Now that is a promise." **

Red walks back to her brothel now, knowing being alone will only make the memories worse. As she walks through the side show leading to her home flashes of blood fill her brain, and until she walks in the doors of her brothel, blood is all she can see.

"Now ladies remember, you are to act like nothing is different. Gentlemen!" She calls over to the group of men who agreed to help them "That goes for you too! Everyone remember the safe word." And with that Red walks past Tonto and up the stairs, him following at he heels like a lost puppy.

"Im sorry again" he whispers to her when she sits at her desk. Before she can respond to him the loud bustle of costumers fills the bar downstairs and their hollers echo all throughout the building.

Just as she thought, Tonto does indeed scare off a few costumers. But as she assigns rooms and takes money she begins to feel an unwelcome sense of nervousness on the small chances their mission might fail. She cant stand to repeat last year.

"Calm down!" Red hisses at Tonto out the side of her mouth when she grows tired of him eyeing every single man in the room like a hungry attack dog.

"What?" He tries to imitate the way she speaks but ends up spitting on accident, making Red laugh.

Red winks at the more nervous girls when they take their men by the hand to lead back to the room, and she is careful to glance down at Mary, who is working the mar, every few minutes.

As time passes her nervousness turns to frustration, and when the night ends with no sign of an intrusion everyone is confused. When Red tell Dan to shut the doors Tonto is relieved that he gets to move from his spot standing quietly beside Red while the men who do pass stab him with their eyes.

"Maybe the Indian scared the attackers off." One of the younger women call from the end of the table when the brothel is closed down and they all meet for a safety check.

"His name is Tonto and from now on you better use it." Red says sternly.

"Maybe they are still checking out what we have?"

"Maybe its one of those freaks at the side show outside!"

"No! They have been here too long! It must be a mission group that arrived by train!"

"Maybe it was just a random attack"

With that last comment Red finally cuts in "No! Now I don't know who is behind this but things like this aren't random. Rangers, look for a man with stab wounds to interrogate. I was hoping this could be handled simply but I guess I was wrong. This just means we are going to have to be on our guard for another day. Then another after that if nothing happens tomorrow. Because that man was a message that more is coming and we better be ready for it. Now ladies, up to bed. Clean the rooms you're assigned to. Mary! Stay with Luna tonight." All the women quickly disperse, Luna getting a caress on the cheek from Red before walking up the stairs and down the hall into the bedroom.

"Tonto. Thanks for helping ton-"

"I help tomorrow too. Until the bad ones are stopped."

Red smiles at him, almost angry at herself for her inability to remain mad at him for more then an hour. "When can you be here tomorrow?"

"Any time."

"Well where are you staying tonight then?"

"Outside."

"Out… what do you mean? You stay with your friend right? The ranger?"

"No. I told you ranger traveling. I sleep outside."

"Tonto" She says, shaking her head at him "Please… stay here tonight. You can stay in my room. I have a couch you can sleep on."

He isn't sure if he is happy or anxious, and once again can not tell her intentions. The white paint on Tonto's face cracks as he smiles and he cant help but become very anxious to know what Red is like late at night, and what she sounds like when she sleeps, and most of all what she wears. As all of this is going through his mind, the raspy voice of a man interrupts his thoughts

"Ah, Red…" Tonto turns to see one of the large men that agreed to help… for a cost. "We held up our end of the bargain…."

"Right, uh…" She places her palm on Tonto's shoulder lightly, hoping to let him know she would much rather follow him up to her room then stay down with the other men "Tonto go wait in my room. I'll be up soon." Red squeezes his shoulder before turning and walking towards the small group of men, making them whistle and clap.

The men sit at the table, where Red stands and lifts her dress around her thighs, letting them touch and kiss "the leg". Tonto looks down at her from the balcony and rage boils inside of him, seeing these strangers caress her and knowing it meant nothing to her. And in his mind, neither did he.

A loud bang is heard, making the men jump. Red looks up to see Tonto's fist through the wall, having found something to take his rage out on. She bites her lip in guilt and shame, wishing her life could be normal again and that she would have met Tonto when she first moved so maybe she could get to know this man, the first man she has taken an actual and real interest to in ten years.

"Do you want us to take care of him?" One of the men say, his hand still snaking up her thigh.

"No. I'll take care of him. Later."

Tonto paces her fragrant room, walking fast and angry circles. Everything about this woman confuses him and he has never wanted to figure someone out more. The way she resists everything he does, The way she looks into his eyes like she sees something important, the way she only sometimes excepts touches from him when there are 8 men in the bar touching her freely… All these thoughts race through his mind and although he feels so much confusion and hurt from her he wants nothing more then for her to walk through the door.

Not long passes until she does walk into her room, smiling sweetly at him. Just as he is about to yell at her, to finally express the feeling's he has been holding in, Red walks over to the small table in front of her couch and pulls her dress up slightly, beckoning him over with her other hand "come here, Tonto." Tonto's eyes fix on the clean ivory that is her exposed leg, ending in red-heeled boots. Finally he walks over to her with wide eyes and eager hands. He falls to his knee's beside her bent leg , daring to wrap one hand around her ankle. As his flesh meets the cool material chills run up his spine, egging him on to move his hand. Tonto's fingers skate across the calf then dares to rest on the knee. He is overtaken by joy and momentarley forgets himself.

"Don't be jealous of the men I work with Tonto. Ever." Finally he looks up at her, and for the first time ever she looks vulnerable to him. The sudden urge comes over him to touch her skin, to know what _she_ feels like rather then the cold fake limb attached to her body. Without taking his eyes off of hers, he lets his fingers lightly rest against the skin of her other leg. Curiosity fills her eyes, but no anger, so Tonto lets his whole palm rest against the front of her calf, amazed at the contrast between the ivory leg and the real one.

He begins to caress her very warm very alive skin, now ignoring the ivory limb completely and giving all of his attention to her leg. "Tonto" Red says this so breathlessly he mistakes it for a gasp. "Tonto" She says it louder now, grabbing his attention just as his hands reach the warm flesh above her knee.

Her eyes are darker then he is use to, her lips more pouted and relaxed. Tonto is confussed as to why this it until Red places her hands boldly on each side of his face and kisses him lightly on the mouth, pulling back quickly to look into his eyes again.

With furosity he didn't know he possessed he leans towards Red, stealing another kiss. Red's hands cling onto Tonto's hair, his hands never seizing their exploration of the one part of her body every other man always ignored.


	4. New Life, More Strife

**Editors Note:**

**So I hope it was pretty obvious that Red and Tonto had sex (for the first time) but I did not include details in the chapter. So tell me if you'd rather have more explicit sex or if you want me to keep it... 'coy'. I hope you enjoy this chapter, let me know what you think! ***

When Tonto awakes from his sleep he is oddly cold. Realizing quickly that Red, who had served as the best blanket he ever experienced, was no longer on the couch with him, or even in the same room for that matter. He figures he should put his cloths on before looking for her, and once he is fully dressed she saves him the trouble by walking through the door to her room.

"Oh. Tonto, you're awake."

"Yes. Did you have business to see to?"

She was in fact making sure her girls were at the breakfast table, but she hadn't slept with him through the night anyway. Once he had fallen asleep she moved to her bed as quietly as possible, not use to the feeling of a body under her. Not a peaceful sleeping one, at least.

"Yah. You know… had to make sure the girls are eating." When silence becomes thick in the air Red speaks again "I actually have to measure all the girls too. I do it ever month to keep their sizes right on my charts so… I guess I should go do that."

"Are they eating?" Tonto stands from the couch now, wanting to be closer to her, but she only stands with her back against her door.

"Oh…. Right…"

"Come sit with me." Tonto sits again, placing his hand on the empty space beside him. Red tries to think of a good reason to leave the room but cant come up with anything that makes sense. So she joins tonto on the couch, careful to leave room between them.

"In the night" Tonto starts the conversation she had been dreading sense she woke up "You are even better then the day." She glances over at him now, only for a second to see his expression. He seems amazed by her, and hopeful that he can have more of her. That look frightens her more then any she has ever seen. "Yeah well. It's my job." Her comment wipes that horrifying look right off of Tonto's face, just like she hoped it would.

If she were to be honest with herself last night was special and she was not doing a service for him but for them and herself, it didn't only feel powerful it felt good. However, Red has never been honest with herself. And she wouldn't start today.

"I did not pay you. And I will not." His words make it clear that she offended him, but Red appreciates the change in atmosphere, anger and hostility being things she is use to. "I know. Just. I know we had a good time last night. Im glad we did but there is no use talking about it now. Plus we have work to do, all of us."

"Why cant I focus on you for a little bit longer?" Tonto's eyes drifted down over her hollow cheekbones and stopped at her dark red painted lips. The urge to lean into him was strong, she realized last night that he is a surprisingly talented kisser, but her head told her that kissing him would be the wrong thing to do. A morning kiss would mean something, and sense she is afraid of that something she stands on wobbly legs to create some distance before speaking to Tonto in a voice as strong as she can muster.

"I'm not whats important right now, we both have bigger things to think about. You… you are only slowing me down. If you keep acting like this then you wont be able to stay here." When Tonto's gaze finally left hers she felt a pang of guilt, but reminds herself this is what she needs. If she has to hurt him in order for him to understand, then that's what she will do. "Now I need a drink. You?"

He stands quickly and rushes past her with such force she almost falls back to the couch they just stood from. "I'll wait at desk" are his last words before slamming the doors open and exiting, anger radiating off of his tanned skin.

With a sigh to let out her frustration and forcibly repressed emotions Red hobbles over to take a long drink from a new bottle of whisky before hobbling out of her room, measuring tape in hand. Her leg is bothering her more then usual this morning, she figures its from all the stress from the attacks. Her leg always hurts worse in times she feels great guilt or great stress and those two things were beginning to pile up.

As Red scribbles down the girls measurements one by one she tries to ignore the harsh glances from Tonto, stood loyally beside her desk. "Mary a little more padding here wouldn't hurt" She says, grabbing the girls breast boldly through her shift making Mary giggle and Tonto blush. "Must you?" Tonto finally gains the courage to ask as Luna steps in front of Red with her arms straight out. "Must I what?" She wraps the measuring tape around Luna's waist in the flirty manner that comes natural to her. "Touch…. Everyone." Tonto's anger from the morning still hasn't cooled and his heated glances were starting to practically burn holes in the side of Red's head. "Tonto, im measuring them I have to touch 'um."

With a dramatic eye roll Tonto looks away from her, but is only able to resist the sigh of her for a second or two before his glance returns to her figure. "Luna, no costumers again today. Just help the bartender tonight."

"You think they gonna come back tonight?" Luna fails at trying to repress the fear in her mind, and when Red hears it in her words she brings a hand to Luna's cheek, letting her lean her face into it. "You have nothing to worry about. I'll keep you safe this time." Tonto is amazed at the gentleness in Red's tone, a tone he didn't think her capable of. Not only is her tone soft but so are her eyes, which are locked onto Luna's, and her hands giving total and unselfish comfort. This doesn't last long however, for when Red realizes Tonto is staring at her admirably she drops her hand and her gaze and is once again all business. "Your measurements are the same, go get started in the bar and make sure everything is clean. The safe word still applies so use it if you have to."

Finally the last girl approaches and stands in front of Red who wraps the measuring tape around the woman's waist three times, her brow crinkling more and more each time, her eyes glancing from the numbers on her chart to the numbers on the tape. Before Tonto can ask if something is wrong he notices the angry glint in her eyes and keeps his mouth shut. "Is there something you want to say?" Red's voice is harsher then usual and Tonto hopes for the girls sake that she hasn't done anything wrong. "W…what do you mean … I…" The young blonde starts but doesn't finish her sentence, and Tonto is unable to tell if she is guilty or confused but he knows no matter which it is Red can see right through her.

"your measurements are changing drastically."

"Oh, well yes I think I gained some-"

"No you didn't just 'gain some'. I told myself that last month when I measured you but now its clear. You keep needing new dresses and you aren't just putting on weight you're expanding. What I don't understand is why you thought it was a good idea to hide something from me…. And then lie about it."

"Red… I mean Madame, I just wasn't sure… im … im still not sure!"

"then you're stupid! Wow not too many woman are too stupid to be a whore and work in a brothel."

Tonto cringes at the stinging insult and feels guilty himself, being the source of her bad mood.

"I'm so sorry, I was scared and it never felt like the right time, I don't have a family to go to and I didn't want to get kicked out and-"

"Don't try to make me feel bad for your ignorance! You did this, we've talked about ways to prevent this from happening, if you were able to follow simple instructions then maybe you wouldn't be in this situation." By the end of her angry rant her hand found its way to the girls delicate throat, needing some way to physically release her anger. "Madame, I got the fabrics you wan…" upon hearing Dan's voice Red reluctantly lets go of the girls throat, causing her to stumble back and catch her breath.

She walks over to Dan to take the bundle of cloths and dresses she asked him to get her, and turns to take them to her desk, but she drops them all at her feet before even taking a step. The girl is exactly where she left her, except now pair of gentle hands are massaging her shoulders. Those hands being the hands of Tonto, who was also whispering to her calmly, affectively returning her breathing back to normal and even bringing a smile to her face.

"T- Tonto… Tonto get your hands off of her!" Red stutters angrily, stomping towards them with loud clumps. She is beside the startled pair in a matter of seconds and with surprising strength she pushes Tonto's chest so hard he falls back against the wall aggressively. "What the hell are you doing?"

Tonto takes a moment to catch the breath that was swept from his lungs in her push before speaking "You hurt her… she should rest if she is with child." Red glares at him "She will do what I tell her. This is a brothel not a hospital!"

"And YOU" she swirls around to the pregnant young whore quickly "Will not miss a day of work or you are out of here, and you know im not afraid to throw you on the streets. You're just lucky some men get off on fucking pregnant women, it's a fetish. Get out of my sight."

As the girl walks away with teary eyes Tonto prepares himself with whatever blow she is surely about to deliver. To his surprise however, she only walks back to her desk and sits. Nervous in her quickly changing moods he picks up the pile of dresses Red dropped and takes them over to her desk. "Why…" He starts, wishing Red's stone expression would fade and she would at least look at him "Why cant I touch them if you can?"

"They are my workers." Her tone is hard and stony as her face, not showing any emotion. Tonto doesn't know exactly why he feels it, but there is a twinge of happiness in his gut at that moment and his brain tells him _she's jealous_.


End file.
